


Falling Eliza

by AliasAnonymous



Category: Benedict - Fandom, Fanfiction - Fandom, Finding Sky, Joss Stirling, Savant - Fandom, Seeking Crystal, Stealing Phoenix
Genre: Fanfiction based off of Joss Stirlings savant books using original characters, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gang Rape, Gen, Heroes and Villians, I swear I don't hate these characters, Nightmares, PTSD, Past Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Torture, Physical Abuse, Precognition, Prisoner of War, Savants, Self-Harm, Soulfinder, Soulmates, Telekinesis, Telepathy, power to manipulate emotions, power to read your past, psychological abuse, seventh child, soulmate love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-25
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-11 05:44:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4423625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliasAnonymous/pseuds/AliasAnonymous
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eliza Kay has had it rough, being the seventh child of a fatherless household with younger siblings had caused her mom to struggle, to make it easy on her she sent her oldest four to stay at the colleges they attended, the ones younger then college age to boarding school and Eliza to her grandmothers in Wrickenridge Colorado to attend Wrickenridge High.</p><p>There she meets the mysterious Ash and his curious scars.<br/>Ash and his sister Dove are the only ones of their village to survive from the war going on that wreaks havoc in their country but sometimes its better to die amidst bombings and gunfire then to survive and be captured. After being prisoner for months he is brought to America to stay in Wrickenridge Colorado with the Benedicts after it was discovered that his sister was Victors soulmate. Still not recovered from his time at camp he avoids human contact and conversing while reliving his past in his sleep. He knows if he doesn't get help he will shoot himself, but how was he to tell that it was coming in the form of Eliza Kay?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is fanfiction to continue on with the stories of savants and soulmates in the world of the Benedicts. Some characters belong to me however the majority belong to Joss Stirling. 
> 
> This story will mention abuse, psychological, sexual and physical along with self-inflicted harm. I will try and give a warning before I bring it up but I am only human and might forget to so if these things are triggering please, if these things trigger you do not read. I am not writing this for kudos, comments or hits this is solely something I enjoyed that I want to continue and think others might enjoy so feel no obligation to read.
> 
> You also might have trouble understanding unless youve read the books but it will be explained in the nest chapter whats going on and who's who.

Chapter 1: Problem Child. 

 

"Ash are you up?! Come on Sky doesn't want to be late again. You have 10 minutes or else we're leaving without you." Zed yelled as he pounded the locked door to the guest bedroom.

The boy on the other side of the door groaned as he rolled over onto his stomach doing a push up out of bed. Sitting up he held onto the edges of the mattress willing the room to stop spinning.

"Okay, I'm up." He called and was rewarded with retreating footsteps from the door. His whole body hurt from the work out he had done the day before, after having nights without sleep he had pushed his body to its edge till he was shaking and sweat was pouring off him making him feel sticky. He was hoping he would be granted peaceful sleep, if he was so physically drained that once he had showered he should just go straight to sleep. He couldn't remember the last time he had had a full nights sleep, maybe the night he arrived on the Benedicts doorstep with his sister and her soulfinder, Victor Benedict. But the nightmares had come still and he had had a fitful night with little sleep. Ash wondered if the nightmares had known his plan as they had been more detailed and made him wake up many times, once covered in sweat but more often it was his own shouts that had brought him back to the present.

Groaning he stood up and stretched, his arms ached a bit from last nights work out but other then that nothing else did. Walking over to the bathroom he quickly showered and changed into his usual ripped jeans and black t-shirt. Striding out of the room he headed down to the kitchen where he smelled bacon and fresh coffee. 

 

"Morning Ash", Called Phoenix from the table where she and Yves were working on her lesson. At 19 and a genius Yves should be in college saving the ozone but he had decided to stay back and help Phoenix, his soulfinder, catch up on all the skipped years of her education. From the money he had made from an app he had created a while ago Yves promised that once Phoenix had caught up she would join him in college and get her English degree. He brought college up rarely though and Ash didn't think he was bitter to be missing it to help his soulfinder which surprised and confused Ash. He hoped someday he would understand that love and dedication to someone to ignore your education to help them get theirs, where he was from it was understood that education was your way out. And you needed your way out. 

He nodded back to her before he sat down at the island with his back to them. A plate of bacon and toast was pushed in front of him, looking away from the window he nodded thanks to Karla for the food and he tucked in. Saul came into the room and seeing that his soulfinder, Karla, wasn't paying attention he snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her making her squeal in surprise at the sudden embrace.

"You bad man!" Karla laughed and slapped his arm playfully.

Shoulders going rigid quickly Ash finished his bacon and got up leaving the room, but Karla called him back.

"You haven't finished your coffee." She pointed out reaching forward from where she was still holding Saul to hand the cup to him but seeing that it was nothing important he turned away and walked back out. Sky had just come into the kitchen with Zed and seeing what had just happened and feeling Karla's disappointment and rejection she jumped in saying that they were going to be late for school so it was okay.

Shouting goodbye Zed followed Sky out the door to where Ash was climbing on his motorbike and adjusting his helmets straps. Zed glared at Ash for upsetting his mother but Ash just ignored him. 

"Let him be" He heard Sky's voice in his head, 

"Only because there are better things to give my attention to." He replied back telepathically. He stopped at his own bike and pulled Sky in, kissing her lips softly. She pulled back before he was finished, "Tease." He said before handing her her helmet. 

"Well sorry if I don't want to be late for the third day in a row." She slapped him playfully, "You know, I don't think you mean it." He smiled, turning around to climb onto his bike he noticed Ash had his helmet on and had turned his head so he didn't have to see them. Sky got on behind him but before she was secure Ash had gunned it down the hill.

"He really hates being around loud emotions doesn't he?" Sky sighed, talking to Zed with her mind again as he had problems hearing her when both their helmets were on. He rubbed her thigh in an effort to comfort her, "I guess he just doesn't know how to handle them. Remember he didn't spend alot of time with people who were very...." he searched for the right word, "affectionate."

Sighing Sky snuggled closer to Zed on the bike and he raced down the hill after Ash's dust trail.


	2. The Screams in my Head.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza and Ash meet for the first time and you find out a bit about Eliza's powers.  
> Eliza goes to school and in the middle of her English class and not so friendly voice speaks up in her head and Ash flexes his power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, door closers are a thing, google it. If you so doubt me. But if your as lazy as me and won't google it they are basically the things at the top of doors that automatically close them and make them close slowly.  
> Secondly, if it was unclear before all the Benedicts and their soulfinders are Savants. Each Savant has varying powers and strengths.  
> Thirdly, please comment if you are getting confused and I'll answer but when Eliza and Sky properly meet the savant and power thing will be discussed more.
> 
> And last little warning *Don't read if you don't want spoilers* there will be swearing and Eliza gets a bad headache caused by her mental connection to other savants.I don't know if you consider those as triggers but, yeah.

Pulling into the parking lot of Wrickenridge High, the massive school loomed in my windshield. It looked pretty standard, for an American High School, but Eliza had only ever seen them through the screen in her TV, never up close where she is actually going to see what it's really like first hand. 

I wonder if there really are cliques like Jocks and Nerds and what category of stereotypes, that had really nothing to do with your personality, I would fall into. Probably Loner. I never really found it easy to make friends and now I was as far away from my only friends that I had ever managed to make in my three years of being in secondary school. Thanks mom.

"Okay. You can do it." I told myself breathing deeply, trying to stop my heart from racing out of my chest. I probably looked like a freak sitting in my car gripping the wheel like a terrified five year-old who just saw a clown for the first time, "On the other hand I don't really need school so if I can get out of this parking lot without bringing attention to myself I can go home to Gran.", I thought, but once Gran realized I was home she would probably start asking questions about why i wasn't in school. Maybe even drive me back here herself. Maybe arriving at school the first time round was the better option. Least then people wouldn't see me frog-marched through the doors by my own Granny.

My enthusiasm levels were looking very optimistic for today. "Well lets get this out of the way." not. 

Gathering my scattered courage to leave the safety of my car I put my hand out to open the car when the sounds of motorbikes stopped me. It was an impressive sound, like thunder and earthquakes. They sounded like they were getting closer. Looking at my mirror I watched as two beautiful bikes drove into the parking grounds. They were sleek, but not for racing, a few of the parts didn't seem to belong to the original framework, maybe they had needed repairs? Either way they weren't as impressive up close. I watched as they pulled into the one space beside the schools main entrance. That was considerate, I guess, not taking up every spot, but the two giants that climbed off definitely did not look considerate. Both tall and muscular, the shorter of the two had taken off his helmet and was talking to a small, blonde girl who had been sitting behind him on the bike, laughing he pulled her into a kiss which she returned before pulling back and kissing him on the cheek before seeing her friends waiting for her and giving a fleeting kiss on her boyfriends cheek she quickly walked over to where they were holding the door of the entrance. The boyfriend was Hispanic definitely and watched her go, his eyes looked like it was lovingly but that was odd for a teenager to do that, usually it was lustfully. The Hispanic was handsome, very much so if I could tell from the safe distance of my car but the other I couldn't really tell, he still wore his helmet and he looked like he was checking his phone or something, with a helmet still on? Weird. The Hispanic slapped his shoulder before following his girlfriend into school.

Was it weird I was waiting for this stranger to get into the school before I would get out of my car? Probably. Damn, what was he waiting for? He still hasn't moved. I had my itinerary and class schedule with me from when I stopped by before school had started back up again, after giving them to me along with my locker combination and number the friendly office man had told me to try and arrive early enough to sign in with him before my first class started, and it started in five minutes. Great.

"Come on, come on." I was murmuring now, everyone except the smokers had now gone inside but he remained on his bike. "That's it." I swore, I wasn't going to let him turn into a Gate-Keeper of sorts in my head, keeping me from crossing the gap from my car to the school's entrance. And that's when he took off his helmet.

My confidence dropped as fast as my mouth. HOW? How was that biologically possible?! Who were his parents? Clark Kent and Angelina Jolie?!  
Yeah, looks like I'm not going to school. Not while that God was blocking my way anyway, no way was I going to put myself forward for judgement from him as I tried to pass. My self-esteem wouldn't make it alive. Two minutes till the bell rang and I was meant to be in History. I could try for the 'I got lost' trick, but while I was making up excuses in my head he began getting off his bike.

"Yes!", I cheered in mini-victory. I would no longer be trapped in my car for the whole day. 

 

I made sure the doors had closed after him before I followed suit. Grabbing my bag and pulling my hood up I walked with as much confidence as I needed to not turn around and drive straight home, which was a lot of confidence.

I checked my watch, one minute, crap. Speed walking through the entrance I managed to make it to the main office before the first bell rang. Oh well, I tried. What'cha going to do about a God blocking your way? The door was open so I walked in, and froze.

Are you kidding me?! The bastard was at the desk talking to the man who had told me to come and sign in when I first got here. Neither seemed to have noticed me, maybe I could walk out and come back later.

"Ah, Eliza you made it." The man looked away from El Bastardo over there to smile at me and wave me over. Trapped. I could now only comply and try not to make direct eye contact. The man held out his hand and I pretended not to notice it. I had a thing about touching people. A thing where I saw their whole past anytime my skin comes in contact with another persons bare skin. So I avoided most of human touch. No big deal. Also probably not the main reason I have never been kissed or been on a date but lets not open that door.

I was what they called a 'Savant'. My whole family was too and since I was also the seventh child of the seventh child I got a shit-ton more powers then I needed and was probably healthy for me. My powers included telepathy with other savants, telekinesis- those two were actually pretty standard for all savants to have but what made me special was my strength with those two were a lot stronger then the average savant. At will I could lift a bus with my mind and not feel tired after. Also with the telepathy, I couldn't read minds but I could hear conversations going on with the savants around me if they were using telepathy, kind of like eaves dropping without them knowing. My main powers were the real kickers though, if I touched someone- bare skin on bare skin contact- I would see their past, and not just see but hear and feel it too. I had to be careful with who was around me, I mean I didn't mind getting hugs from my little nephews and nieces as they have happy childhoods and since their lives have been short so far their past story didn't take to long to get through and the more familiar I am with someones past the next time we touch I only get an update on what has happened but not all people have happy pasts and I really did not want to know what they themselves don't want to tell me. So I never touched someone with bare skin if I could help it. I also had a power that was more a curse than a gift and it was something that I didn't really understand either. My mind held voices in it that weren't my own.

"Eliza." Hearing my name snapped me back to what was going on, "Eliza, this is Ash. He is also new and in case you've forgotten already my names Mr. Joe." He smiled at me as if it was a joke that I might have forgotten his name but in actual fact I had. Ash was even more handsome up close, he was tan, but not like the Hispanic he had arrived with, tall, and had the most perfect cheekbones and jaw line. He didn't turn to look at me though, clearly not interested. Even when Mr. Joe had introduced us, he had just kept staring at whatever Mr. Joe was filling in. Mr. Joe noticed this too.

"Now, no romances between you two." Mr. Joe joked. If he had been trying to ease the tension in the room he had failed and had just made it worse. Whether he had meant me to see or not, Ash had cringed. The funeral for my ego will be held on Friday, I'll keep you posted. Thankfully the bell rang and I was meant to be in History and be done with El Bastardo as he will henceforth be known as. 

"Eliza just sign here and you can be off." Joe quickly handed me a small form which I signed as hurriedly as possible trying to get out of the company of El Bastardo who mercifully was headed for the door. "Wait Ash, you can walk Eliza to her first class." Mr. Joe happily suggested, "You both have the same first class, and what better way for you both to make friends on your first day."

I swear in that moment I was crimson, "No, it's not necessary!" I felt helpless, like my faith had already been decided and stamped with Mr. Joe's perkiness, "Nonsense! Ash doesn't mind, do you Ash?" I turned to Ash and his face probably mirrored mine in horror, but he was as trapped in the situation as I was. "Sure." He looked like he'd rather eat a live scorpion then comply with Mr. Joe's request.

He backed up with the door and waited with it open for me to go through first, and I walked out of that room screaming. In my head anyway. He followed after me and I swear if it wasn't for the door closer (see notes) it would have slammed.

"I'm really sorry.", I blurted out before I could stop myself. We were the only ones walking down the hall now as class had started and I wasn't even five minutes in school and already somebody hated me. 

"Why are you sorry? It was Mr. Joe's idea." Ash sounded confused and when I looked up, and yes I had to look up, he looked confused too and also like he was concentrating. Maybe he was trying to remember the way to AP History, I probably shouldn't mention I had a map in my bag, that definitely wouldn't be half as impressive as it was useful.

"Well, you kind of looked like you'd rather eat a live scorpion then walk me to class." I said, Ash laughed at that. I did a double take, did the God just laugh at something I said? I mentally high-fived myself. 

"No, I wouldn't rather eat a scorpion then walk you to class." He laughed, the door labelled 'Room 12' where AP History was going on inside was getting closer. I didn't really want this moment to end, maybe El Bastardo wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe we could be friends.

"Well that's a relie-"

"Maybe a spider." He said opening the door to Room 12 and walking in. I stopped in my tracks, before noticing that the door was closing and walked in after him. That's it, El Bastardo for life.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Other than meeting Ash, my day had gone pretty much okay. I made no other enemies anyway, friends could wait for Day 2.

I was made to introduce myself in every class, which was basically my name and where I was from. I guess Wrickenridge wasn't used to many Irish people being in their midst as I was stopped five times in the hall before lunch by someone I had met in a previous class to talk to their friends with my 'Amazing accent' as they put it. I had been fine with it thinking it would help me make friends but so far I had no luck in the social department and it had got annoying when they tried to make me pronounce words with my accent so I put on this really thick New York accent and started asking them to say words in their 'native language'. It didn't really make sense to them but I found it hilarious and they had left me alone after that. Lunch came and went with me sitting in the library getting through most of my homework then the bell for English rang and I packed up my stuff and walked to class. 

 

I waited a bit after the bell ended so when I walked in I knew where everyone sat and I didn't accidentally take someones pre-claimed seat. Besides, teachers went easy on the new girl. I was wrong. I was very wrong. It was not even two minutes after the bell ended that I walked in and I was pounced on. 

"Ms. Clarke. Why are you late?" A woman of roughly one-hundred and ten snapped at me just as the door closed behind me and escape was now impossible. She was standing, or should I say stooping, at the top of the class on to a cane that was probably the only thing keeping her from falling on her face. She reminded me of a vulture with how she leaned over her cane, an elongated wrinkled neck, beady eyes and a hump growing on her back. Oh dear, the old brawd that was now trying to interrogate me in front of an entire class of people I didn't know was going to have a crying seventeen year old on her hands if she wasn't careful, I was already done with today and I didn't need her making it worse.

"I got lost." I told her, not the truth but she didn't seem to be the kind of woman to understand my reasoning.

She squinted her eyes more, was that meant to be a glare? "You got lost." She repeated sneering. Her thin lips did nothing to hide her chipped teeth, which was all of them. To an imaginative mind like mine they became glass shards that would bite into my self-confidence and release me only to let it bleed out. "The cafeteria is right around the corner. Would you like me to take you by the hand and walk you there and back?" She asked.

"Yes." I stated holding out my hand for her. I didn't really know what else to say to make her stop. Her increased glaring, if that was what it was, probably meant that that wasn't an answer she expected nor wanted to hear.

"Sit down Clarke." She growled, pointing a long, bony finger at an empty spot between the blonde girl I saw get off the Hispanics bike and a tall, lanky boy. Both looked sympathetic to my cause but neither would probably say anything about it, and as luck would have it Ash sat behind the desk I had to take, he didn't really seem to be paying attention unlike the rest of the class who were leaning forward in their chairs as for once something interesting seemed to be unfolding in the middle of their English class. Feeling all eyes on me now I began walking towards my seat only to be reefed back from behind almost making me lose my balance. Shouting out in surprise I managed to catch myself before I fell. It was my turn to glare at the bitch. From the corner of my eye I noticed I had finally gotten Ash's attention.

"What was that for?" I yelled at her, I didn't care if she was school faculty or even an evil witch like she acted like but I was starting to get a headache which meant really bad things for me.

"No bags at tables." She snarled, pointing at the wall at the top of the class where people who had previous knowledge of this stupid rule had left their bags already. 

"No sign." I said, dropping my bag off my shoulder and taking a notebook and pen out before leaving it at her feet. She could do what she wanted with it. My phone and money were in my jean pockets. 

I felt a burning sensation at the back of my head where she was probably staring a hole through it. Taking my seat I stared back at her, if she hadn't pissed me off so much I would have been in tears I always hated being yelled at by teachers but my fury fueled my confidence and she turned away first to continue teaching the class whatever nonsense she preached. If this was the English teacher I hoped I never met the religion teacher. Without her attention on me I slumped in my seat losing all my energy and my false bravado.

The blonde girl beside me leaned over and whispered, "I'm Sky and that was amazing." Before leaning back. 

I grinned, the day had made me feel pretty crappy and the headache lurking and growing like a thunderstorm in the back of my head was only going to worsen my mood but her words and smile made it lift, even for a short while. I winked back at her and opened my notebook trying to read the Vulture's tiny writing on the chalkboard.

The class was conducted without even a whisper after that. They were all probably terrified of her cane to even sneeze. My headache was growing worse and my bottle of water and packets of aspirin were in my bag at the top of the class. 

/Hey Girlie./ Something echoed in my head, my headache was becoming unbearable now. One day. Not even one day.

Please go away. I sent the thought to where the 'Hey Girlie' had come from.

/Nopesies./ I cringed, the headache was at full power.

C'mon, get out of my head.

/How about we play a game?/ It asked, I swear if you could hear smirks I heard hers.

I don't want to play your game now, how about later? I tried to plead but it didn't want to negotiate.

/Nope, I'm bored, we're playing now./

Fine! This was about to get horrible, last time we played a game I passed out and woke up to a bloody nose and a cut forehead where I hit it when I fell down unconscious.

/Goodie! I will ask you three questions, get 'em right no punishment, get 'em wrong and Banshee's coming to play/

Deal. Banshee called herself that as her punishment was to scream, and in your head you can't control the volume. You either play or let her scream for an hour. At least by playing you have a chance at winning and not letting her.

/Let's start easy. Who's the first president of America?/

George Washington.

/Okay, okay. A little harder? What's the quadratic equatic?/

X equals minus B, plus or minus the square root of B squared, minus four A by C over 2 by A. Thank you math before Lunch.

/Too easy?? okay, I can do better. Where do you live?/

I stayed silent. I can't answer that, even though we've never met and she might just be a voice in my head she can't know that. For some reason she makes me feel scared and no way I want her to know where I live. My pause became to long and without a reply Banshee was getting mad.

/Fine. I can wait. Time for playtime./ 

I cringed, I tried to pull up my mental shield at full force, trying to remember what my older brothers had taught me. Pulling as much of a shield together as possible before her onslaught I tried to get mentally ready. There was nothing for a minute but then a tidal wave of sound crashed through my mind. If I wasn't in the middle of class I would probably have screamed. 

Gritting my teeth, I held my head in my hands and tried to not make any noise. Sky was giving me a strange looks which I tried to ignore. I had more pressing issues going on, in which I mean a girl screaming at full volume in my head and I couldn't stop it. Sky looked like she was concentrating on something but on what I didn't care.

I wished I had my bag with me, at least with Aspirin it would help ease some of the pain the noise caused. I was trying to focus on what little notes I had taken within the class time before Banshee showed up. Only a few sentences but I read them over and over as if it was my life raft and would stop the pain if I read it enough times.

And then,

The pain stopped. And I felt safe.


	3. P.E. and a friend.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> P.E. sucks no matter what country.

The pain shouldn't have stopped like that. Eliza knew that but she couldn't help being relieved it was over.

Banshee had never let up early before though and this unexplained end of her torment made Eliza as suspicious as she was relieved. Probably what scared her the most though, more than the thought that when Banshee realizes Eliza is no longer hearing her screams she'll be back with worse, no, the thing that terrified her, was how safe she had felt. It was unsettling.

Lifting her head up she frowned at the board ahead, she had just been mentally tormented and the class continued like nothing had happened, the Vulture hadn't even looked away from where she was still writing on the board, occasionally looking at the Shakespeare play in her hands but that was it. Romeo and Juliet. Eliza had studied that for her Junior Cert before moving out here.

Should she ask to go to the toilet? Maybe pretend to feel sick and just go home.  
But then what? If she did manage to convince the Vulture to let her leave what could she do in the toilet, even at home? Call Banshee back through their mind connection and ask her why she stopped, great plan Eliza.

I looked over to Sky beside me, she was still watching me worriedly and I smiled like nothing was wrong. She raised an eyebrow but I nodded as if to communicate 'I may have looked like I was about to cry but now I'm fine so please stop staring at me.' She must have got the message because she looked away and continued with her note taking. Breathing deeply I massaged my temples and picked up my pen.

 

~~~~~

 

The remainder of the school day was uneventful and when the last bell rang I walked out to my car and drove to the closest supermarket to collect grocery's for my Gran who needed things for dinner and had refused to get it herself she was adamant about not talking to non-savants. I didn't understand why and she never let on. It wasn't like there had been a feud between Savants and non-savants that she could be still stuck in the times about, non-savants didn't even know we existed.

Not like I was going to refuse the woman who had taken me in when mom decided I would be the one to leave. So I went.

For a big town like Wrickenridge I was surprised that they had only one supermarket. Gran had given me a list and I had everything except jam and I was having trouble locating it. A woman in a vest came over to me soon though, she must have seen the confusion on my face as I stalked up and down the aisles. She was probably no older than twenty, maybe going to college in a neighboring town as there was no colleges or universities in Wrickenridge, Colorado she had to be attending somewhere else.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her voice was friendly and I told her that I just couldn't find the jams.

"You're new here aren't you?" She asked, "I'm not judging, but there aren't a lot of people here who's faces I don't recognize and I don't think I've ever seen yours."

"Eh, yeah, I am new. I just moved here to my Grans from Ireland. I'm staying with her for awhile." Indefinitely I added on in my head. The older girls eyes lit up,

"You mean your Brigid Clarke's granddaughter?" She asked excited,

"Eh, yes. How did you know?" I asked surprised she knew who my Gran was. 

She rolled her eyes like it was obvious but when I still looked confused she quickly told me, "Mrs. Clarke has been hanging around town more then ever these past few weeks telling everyone how her special granddaughter was coming to stay with her, she was more excited than I'd ever seen her before and she comes to this store everyday so I have seen her a lot. She was busy buying things for your room she thought you might like and had a few of the local guys help her paint your room."

"Huh." I smiled in surprise, my room had been surprisingly amazing when I was shown it by her, the walls were painted a calming blue and there had been a desk in the corner and loads of bookshelves. She really did know me well to know I liked simplicity in a room. 

I laughed under my breath, she must have made up that story about not wanting to mix with non-savants to make me go out and see more of the town. I had been with her for two weeks before school started back up again and had spent most of it in her house either talking to her or on my laptop writing. She must think I really need to socialize if she made up that story.

After being shown where the jams were I grabbed the last two strawberry jams and paid for everything at the till, I thanked the older girl and promised to say hi to my granny from her.

 

Walking back to my car I saw a woman in her fifties or late forties outside standing by my car looking as if she was trying to peer in.

"Hi, are you alright?" I asked her walking up to my car.

"Oh hello dear, my names Mrs. Hoffman." She held out her hand but I pretended like the bag I was carrying required two hands.

"Pleasure. Do you mind me asking why you were looking into my car?" I asked calmly, I didn't like people who had intruded on my privacy, last time that happened I was sent to another country.

"So sorry dear, I didn't recognize the plates and there has been a school shooting the next town over. Forgive me if I wanted to know who's car it belonged to.", She said giving me a scrutinizing look up and down. I doubted she was lying, I had heard the other students talk about it in class throughout the day and Wrickenridge was a close town, where it seemed everyone knew everyone.

"No problem." I said walking past her over to the passenger seat and unlocked it, putting the bag in. I shut the door and began walking over to the drivers seat but stopped when Mrs.Hoffman began talking again. 

"Are you Anne Clarke's girl?", she asked, "By the way, your laces are undone." She nodded to my feet where indeed my right shoelace had come undone. Quickly I knelt to re-tie it, 

"Oh, thanks. Yes and I have got to be back soon so I really can't stay for long." I stood up again and tried to end the conversation and get into my car without wanting to be rude, she didn't take the hint. 

"Oh of course, how are you finding it here?", She asked, the way she asked made it seem like she was looking for a good review. 

"It's interesting, not like Ireland but everyone seems very friendly." I said inching closer to the door. 

"Yes, I went to Ireland once, where are you from, I mean which part?" She asked, I don't know how specific she wanted my answer to be so kept it as simple as I could, I told her my province, 

"Leinster." 

"Never heard of it, is it near Dublin?" She asked, I doubted she knew any place but Dublin. I sighed, can't blame her for her ignorance, I mean my geography teacher expected me to know all 50 states but they've never heard of our provinces, honestly. There were only four! 

"Yes." I nodded opening my door, and putting one foot in. 

"I went to Dublin, must have been nearly thirty years ago, so not so long, and when I was there my sister who was living there married to a man, awful strange name, Padrag Mackee or something as stupid." 

"Pádraig Mcgee?" I asked her, it was a hard name to spell not say. 

"Oh you know him?" She asked, her attitude changing from sour at his 'stupid name' to happy I might know him too. I wanted to hit my head off the roof of my car. 

"No, that's how you pronounce it, there's a fada over the first 'a' of the name making it not 'ah' but 'aw' and you have to forget about the second 'a' so you say it like Pawdrig and-" I stopped, her face just looked like she was not getting it. "It's Irish for Patrick." I explained, putting it simply. 

"That reminds me, every sign we passed had Irish on it as well you know, right under the english name of the place. Dublin's name had a funny one! It didn't even sound like Dublin!" She was talking about how on maps Dublin was also called, 'Baile Átha Cliath' but it had also been known as 'Dubh Linn' but I was not going to tell her all the history in the names and what they translated to. So I just nodded like it was just as much a mystery to me as her. 

"Mrs. Hoffman, It's going to be dark soon and I still have to prepare the dinner so-" 

"Oh yes dear, one more thing before you go, why is everyone there so mad about the English and why was it a bad thing?" She said, I now wanted to hit her head off the roof of my car and graphically imagined doing so. 

She asked so casually like she didn't expect a history lesson and to be dragged back into her place. She asked like she couldn't understand why an Irish person would make a big deal of over 800 years of oppression by the British, why an Irish person would make a big deal of how our lands were taken from us in the plantations and how by gaining our independence back over years of fighting we still shouldn't feel upset about it whenever someone as ignorant like her brought it up. Especially thirty or so years ago since she visited when people would still be very upset about Britains' intrusion and how they still controlled the North. Since then however I assume people have calmed down since then and the violence between Catholics and Protestants and English and Irish has drastically decreased, and Ireland actually had a pretty good relationship with Britain now. But I wanted to explain it to her. 

"Just imagine someone walking straight in through your front door, while you were there cooking in the kitchen, and your husband was reading in front of the fireplace, into a place where you should feel safe a stranger now stood to take it off you. Your children were upstairs getting ready for bed and now you have this stranger in your house telling you it was now his and you had to get out. This stranger wants you out and points a gun at you to get you to leave. You gather your children and what little belongings you could grab before being brutally shoved out of your own front door. Now your husband, he didn't like someone coming into his house and claiming it. So the stranger shoots him. You are now homeless and widowed. You can't go to a neighbors as it's happening to everyone in your neighborhood. You can't go to your sisters as i's happening to her too. As the years go by you are forced to learn a new language, all the familiar buildings and churches around you were scrapped to make new ones that looked different, and teach a new religion. Your children are not allowed go to school as they are members of the previous religion, you can't get certain jobs and you were treated horribly by the new invaders. You can't do anything about it, they'd kill you and your children, they knew brutal ways to do that, you can't go to anyone everyone is as scared as you and any authority figure is an invader. Now it takes hundreds of battles and years to fix everything but some things just can't be reversed. You still speak the invaders tongue and use some of their ways. Even after years have gone by, don't you think you'd still be a bit bitter, just a bit angry? Even when it was long over?" She looked slightly upset and I knew I had said it right, "Now." I continued, "How do you think you'd feel when someone asked 'why it was a bad thing?'" Her face remained frozen in a mask of shock and she looked like she had been turned into a statue. Job done I got into my car and waved at her before I drove home. 

"Man that felt good." I smiled speeding off.

 

~~~~~~~~ 

 

I woke up early the next day and showered. Walking into the kitchen feeling awake and refreshed I saw that Gran had already made my breakfast. 

"Thank you." I told her settling in my seat and scarfing it down. She nodded and blew on her too-hot tea. She was still in her pyjamas and I think she was just awake to make my breakfast. 

"You didn't have to get up so early, I could have made my own breakfast." She shook her small head making her wavy grey hair swish around her, 

"I heard the shower, besides I wanted to." She smiled, "How are you?" 

"Well, thank you. I'm good, tired but other then that I'm grand." I smiled back with a mouthful of half-chewed toast. She laughed and shook her head at me, 

"Pass me the milk jug Eliza." She pointed to the jug in front of my plate. Nodding with my mouthful I used my telepathy to slowly lift it up and make it float to her outstretched hand. Grasping the handle she poured milk into her tea and I swallowed my food. 

"Gotta go, don't want to be late." I said standing up and going back up to my room to grab my bag. Coming back out I was met at the door by Gran,

"How are you Eliza? Really." My grandmother was a kind soul, a small and stout woman, her head was just under my shoulder. Her power was an unusual one, in the way that it involved the senses. She had super-hearing as her power. Power of the sense is unusual but not uncommon. Knowing her power I slowed my breathing and tried to keep my heart rate the same as I said, 

"Everything's normal. I guess I'm just a bit homesick." It wasn't completely a lie. I still heard the voices, I still had trouble touching people, I felt alone when I was surrounded by people. That was normal. Plus I really was homesick. I just didn't want her to ask a direct question. Those were the hardest to lie to her about. 

"So, you haven't heard anymore of the 'voices' since?" She asked referring to when she had found me unconscious after Banshee had wanted to play another game. 

"Nah, now is the interrogation over? I'm going to be late." I pulled her into a hug bending down and hugged her tight making sure not to touch any bare-skin. She understood to do the same and be careful not to touch my skin and hugged me back. 

"You know I worry." She sighed and let me go. 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

 

The parking lot was nearly full when I got there but school still hadn't started. 

I wanted to wait till the bell rung before getting out of my car. I pulled out some homework I hadn't completed. I couldn't focus on it though, just like last night when I was meant to be working on maths equations my concentration had kept drifting off topic to think about what had happened in class. Banshee hadn't come back which was both surprising and scary in equal measure. What I couldn't shake though was the feeling of safety that had blanketed me when the screaming stopped. 

Still stuck on trying to figure out what happened and what had made it change thunder boomed. Great it was going to rain today and I had P.E. Soon the bell rang and I hadn't finished my math homework nor figured out what had happened in English. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Right. My name is Mr.Levi" My P.E. Teacher shouted at us, "Warm up laps, get going!" He yelled. 

If he thought his yelling at us would make us respect him he was very wrong, I saw people give him dirty looks as they began jogging but no-one refused him. 

We were in a big hall, which I was grateful for as it was still raining when I left the changing rooms. Ash and the Hispanic boy who's name I over-heard was Zed, along with Sky and the lanky boy who sat the other side of me during English were here too. Zed and Sky had been chatting with the lanky boy and two other girls before we all begun with laps. Ash was a part of that group too but he didn't seem to be contributing anything or really listening. I was sitting alone on the benches feeling very much awkward when it came time to get up for role-call. 

"When I call your name I want you to stop where you are and do ten push-ups." He screamed as we jogged past him. 

"Thank you Satan." I mumbled as I tried to get into a stride. He reminded me a bit of an American Jason Statham. But with horns and a forked tongue, and instead of his clipboard a pitchfork. 

We had started as a pack but as the jogging continued more people split into groups. We were dismembered around the indoor track. Most of the boys took to the front among with a few athletic girls but bands of people of different fitness levels took up the rest of the track. 

I was relatively fit so was near the front and as Satan called out names it became an obstacle course as you tried to dodge or hop around the people who were dropping like flies to do their allotted ten push ups. Satan was calling people at random so you wouldn't know if the warm-up was nearly over or not. Which I thought was just cruel.

I noticed I was beside the lanky boy now. 

"Hi." He huffed as we ran. 

"Hey." I replied keeping my attention on the people in front of me in case one of their names was called. 

"Names Nelson." He continued, "Man I hate this." He grunted as the jogging turned into running as the boys and girls ahead of us began trying to get in front of each other turning it into a race between them but a near sprint for people behind them to keep up. 

"Me too." I panted, "Eliza." I said jerking away from my place beside Nelson as a girl in front, Ella?, fell down to do her push-ups. Running back to my place I asked Nelson, "Is he the Devil or something?" 

"No." It was his turn to dodge, "Ex-military." he finished after coming back. 

"Explains it." I said as we took the turn, 

"Explains child abuse?" Nelson asked jokingly, "I admired what you-" He paused to gulp some air in, "did. In English. No-one does." 

"Thanks." I said, my legs were killing me and air scratched my throat every-time I breathed. 

"I hate this." Nelson said before we heard his name called, "See-ya." He said before dropping down. 

Happiness of maybe making a friend in Nelson helped me find some more energy to keep going. We were now fully sprinting around the track and lapping all the people who were to slow to stay in the front group. Ash and Zed were leading the group along with one of the girls who Sky had been talking too. I contemplated speeding up to them but stayed in my place. If I could barely speak properly to Nelson while we were running I doubted I would be able to speak at all while at full sprint.

I desperately wanted water but if I stopped I risked being yelled at by Mr.Levi and made do burpees which I really wouldn't be able to do. As we ran passed him I watched as he yelled at a girl who had stopped before role-call ended as she was made do burpees. I kinda hated her for a minute because while she was being yelled at he stopped doing role-call making this torture last longer. 

I wished that the people in front would slow down but they just kept sprinting. 

Thinking my legs were about to give out from under me I focused on the guy right in front of me. Concentrating on his back distracted me from the pain this sprinting was causing. The guy was fast and his reflexes were quick as he dodged the people who dropped. From behind I got a good view of him and admired his muscles which, even through his t-shirt, were pretty clear and very well defined. His bum was nice too. 

"Ash Benedict." Levi called, making the boy in front of me drop. 

Jumping over him I tried not to balk. I had checked out Ash?! I wanted to strangle myself for admiring him. I still hadn't forgiven him for his comment about the spider and I really had tried not to find him attractive after that. And now I had gone and checked out his ass. I would have turned red from my mortification if I wasn't already from the sprinting. 

I was now in the lead with Zed and that other girl and my name had still not been called. 

"You're faster than you look." Ash's voice came from my right and turning I realized he was right beside me. How had he managed to do ten push-ups so fast? I had just jumped over him and he was done. 

"And you're stronger." I stated. Him being so close made me feel anxious, I now had to try not to trip over anyone and make-sure my arm didn't accidentally brush off his. We were running silently now, well if you didn't count the panting and footsteps. I began to feel competitive with him and tried to run faster, he caught on and tried to push ahead of me. Soon we had broken away from the front group now leading them. I made my strides as long as I could while trying to run as fast as I could. Ash smiled beside me and elongated his strides too keeping up. My problem now was that his legs were longer than mine so to keep that pace beside him I had to speed up. 

"Spider legs." I panted, 

"Short legs." He retorted. 

"Eliza Clarke!" I heard my name roared, I dropped from my place beside Ash and began my push ups. 

Usually I could do ten no problem but my legs were shaking like jell-o and had no strength to keep me up. I felt the ground under me shake as the front group now caught up and went around me. I somehow managed it and standing up I noticed Ash was coming up to where I stood, he had managed to do another lap while I struggled with my push-ups. 

"Fall in." Levi yelled just as Ash got to me. 

"Better luck next time." He said bending over to catch his breath, 

"I would have creamed you if my name wasn't called." I said still panting. 

"Sure." He smiled. 

We turned to head to where Levi stood in the middle of the hall and I almost tripped over my own feet, my legs felt so weak. Ash reached over to steady me but I side-stepped out of his reach. He frowned and pulled his arm back. I felt guilt wash through me and my mood sobered. I wished I could tell him that it wasn't his touch that I was avoiding, just the memories it brought on.


End file.
